Ayyappa devotees allowed to fly with “Irumudi” on plane

KAKINADA: The ministry of civil aviation is allowing Ayyappa devotees to fly to Sabarimala along with their “Irumudis’’ as cabin baggage.

The ministry has partially modified its rules allowing devotees to carry Irumudis with coconuts and ghee after X-ray, ETD and physical checks during the Mandalam-Makaravilakku season up to January 20, 2023.

Civil aviation director general Julfikar Hasan has issued orders in this regard.
Incidentally, BJP leader Mosalakanti Suresh, YSRC leaders Sunkara Vidya Sagar and S. Madhava Krishna, among others, had been prevented from travelling by air when they tried to board their planes with their Irumudis containing coconut and ghee.

Suresh took up the issue with union civil aviation minister V. Muralidharan, who wrote to his ministry that Ayyappa devotees be allowed to fly with their irumudis.

The BJP leader has thanked the civil aviation ministry and BJP leader Ungarala Chinababu for taking up the issue with the Union government.